Cooling apparatus for cream and other viscous liquids



July 5 1927.

P. MATTHEWS ET AL COOLING APPARATUS FOR CREAM AND OTHER Filed Dec. 24,'1926 VISCOUS LIQUIDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tuner-40v PRYCE MATTHEWS ANDREBRAcH QIMZW' @MZWM 1534,910 July 5, 1927- p, MATTHEWS ET AL CUOLINGAPPARATUS FOR CREAM AND OTHER VISCOUS LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 24, 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Jrvumm PRYCE MATTHEWS, ANDRE BRAC a (HAW-Map.

July 5', 1 927. 1,634,910

P. MATTHEWS ET AL COOLING APPARATUS FOR CREAM AND OTHER VISCOUS LIQUIDSFiled Dec. 24, 1926 s Shets-Sheet 3 Jnom PRYC E MATTHEWS ANDRE ,BRACHER,

moi-nun Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE...

. rayon MATTHEWS, 0F wEs'rfKENsINeToN, LONDON,- Ann ANDRE IBRAOHER, or

BERROW, BURNHAM -ON-SEA, ENGLAND.

COOLING APPARATUS FOR CREAM OTHER VISCOIJ'S LIQUIDS.

Application 'aiea December 24,1926; ser ai'ue. lssesae i in GreatBritain August 1a, 1925. r

f This invention relates to cooling apparatus for cooling viscousliquids to low temperatures, particularly for cooling creamandotherviscous milk products, to obtain efiicient and uniform coolingasthe substance to be cooled approaches solidification.

' Theobject of this invention. is to provide an apparatus wherebyeflicient and uniform cooling is effected.

The substance to .be cooled is hereinafter referred to as cream.

Apparatus for cooling cream and other viscous liquids in accordance withthis invention comprises a series of internally cooled rotating rollers,a feeder for feeding the cream onto one end of the series of cool ingrollers, the cream being positively transferred from one cooling rollerto the next in the series. V

It should be understood that the term positively transferred includesall mechanical means, such as contact between the rollers orintermediate scrapers, but does not include transfer by gravity. 1

WVe are aware that it has been previously proposed to employ av methodof evaporating the moisture from milk by passing it over a series ofalternately heated and cooled cylinders arranged in a vacuum chamber,the milk passing from one roller to the next in the series bygravitation. e

The rollers are preferably arranged vertically one above the other, butthe invention is not restricted to such an arrangement, as the rollersmay be placed in a row inclined to the horizontal, or again they may beplaced in ahorizontal row, or again they may be staggered, or anycombination of the above arrangements. Also the rollers may be caused torotate, all in one direction, or they may rotate alternately in oppositedirections.

The meansfor passing cream from one roller to the next, and forpreventing the cream from over-running the ends of the rollers,preferably comprises anadjustab'le scraper disposed between the rollers.

Insteadof a single scraper we-may use three scrapers, one straight andadjustable scraper for passing the cream to the next roller and twosmall curved scrapers (one atv each end. of the roller). for preventingthe cream =-from=-over-running the ends of the.

roller.

A similar effect can be obtained by using a single scraper with curvedends... A

If desired, the rollers may make contact "with each other so that eachroller collects the cream from the preceding roller. In this case thelast moving roller :would have a scraper to scrape off the cream andallow it to fall into the collecting trough.

If desired, the rollers may be enclosed and arrangedto work in a vacuum.

Referring to the drawings filed herewith:

Fig. is a diagrammatic side elevation of one form of cooler made inaccordance with this invention; I

Fig. 2 is an end'elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is, a part sectional side elevation showing in greater detail oneway of carrying out this invention;

' 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 3;

Fig. et is a detail View showing the adjustment provided for thescrapers;

Fig.5 is a detail View ofv the scrapers for limitingthe feed ofthe feedroller.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the cooling A apparatus comprises a frame ain whi'chare mounted a plurality of hollow rollers Z2, 0, Z, 6, f and g.The spindles h of the rollers are hollow and journalled in the frame a.Each spindle is provided with a sprocket engaging with a single chain hwhich drives all the six rollers. Cooling water or brine is fed into,the rollers at 0 through a watertight bearing n. Water circulatesthrough .series ofvrollers, being scraped by scrapers p, fr.om" thebottom of each roller onto the J topv of the next. The lower down theseries of rollers the cream ,gets, the more it is :cooleidyand as itsviscosity increases, any attempt to adhere to therollers is frustratedby the scrapers p, which. permits a perfectly c eanfcooling surface tobe continually preseated tothe oncoming cream,

j the other.

The cream scraped off the roller 9 falls into the collecting trough 9.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4-, the cooling apparatus is prele "ably builtup of a number of units, each unit consisting of a roller 2 and bearingblocks The l'iearing blocks are so ar'anged that they may be formed oneon top of the other so as to build up a cooler having any desired numberof rollers, the apparatus for feeding the cream onto the upper rollerbeing; secured above the up pcrmost bearing block. The roller 2 ispreterably constructed of thin sheet metal of approximately thick and isprovided with reinforced end pieces et having a hollow sleeve 5 formedthereon and journalled in the bearing block The bearing block 3 isprovided with a journal 6 to receive the sleeve 5 and in order to make aliquidtig'ht joint for the cooling water or brine which circulatesthrough the rollers a packing: 7 and gland nut S are provided, the glandnut 8 serving to press the bent connecting pipe 9 inwardly against thepacking. The pipe 9 connects one roller to the next roller in theseries. The packing 7 prevents any liquid circulating through the sleeve5 and pipe 9 from escaping through the bearing. A lubricator 12 andpassage 13 are provided for oiling, the journal 6.

The rollers 2 may be plugged with filling pieces or plugs 14 so thatonly a small annular space is left between the plug and the walls of theroller. This serves to reduce the amount of liquid circulating in therollers and consequently any desired variation in temperatures can bebrought about more rapidly when there is a small amount of liquid incirculation. A chain sprocket wheel 15 is mounted on the sleeve 5 toreceive the drive from the driving shaft. The description given aboveapplies equlally to the other units of which only two are shown in Figs.3 and l, but it is to be assumed any desired number of units may bemounted one above Between the bearing blocks 3 interposed a. member 16to which is pivoted at 17 a. weighted lever 18. \Vhile only one lever isshown it is to be understod a similar lever placed on the opposite sideof the machine. a se aper bar 19 being secured between the two levers18. The weighted levers 18 by virtue of their pivots 1? keep thescrapers pressed against the surface of the rollers. If desired,however, an adjustment may be provided for keeping the scrapers at anydesired clearance from the roller in case it may be found necessary toleave a layer of cream on each roller. A suitable way of doing this isshown in Fig. 4*, and comprises a sliding pawl 20 secured to the member16 by two screws 21 working in slots 22. Thepawl 20 is provided with aninclined face 23 upon which the lower edge of the weighted lever 18rests; endwise Thus it will be seen that each of the scraper elementsare a self-contained unit and are interposed between adjacent bearingblocks 3, the whole being held in position by bolts Q-l. Atthe base ofthe machine a col.- lecting trough Q is disposed so as to collect thecream scraped oil the bottom roller. The device for feeding the hotcream onto the top roller again constitutes a separate unitand comprisesa pair oi brackets 25 bolted onto the top bearing blocks 3 by bolts 26and clamped to one another by a screw rod 27, a distance piece 28 in the:torm of a long tube being interposed between the brackets; eyelots forsuspending the apparatus may be attached to this rod to facilitatehandling the apparatus when installing; or shipping. The brackets 95 areprovided with journals 529 in which is mounted the main driving shaft 30carrying: a driving); pulley 31. Instead of a driving pulley on theshaft we may employ direct drive through areduction gear and motormounted on the cooler. On the driving shaft is mounted the feed roller32 which dips into the receivingtrough the latter being secured. byquickly detachable trunnions 34 formed on the brackets 25 so that thereceiving: trough may be removed for cleaning. The drivinc shaft carriesa chain sprocket wheel 35 whereby the drive is imparted through a chain(not shown) onto the roller below. A. scraper 36 is provided to scrapethe cream oil the feed roller 32 and transfer it onto the top of thecooling roller below. In order to limit the amount of cream picked up bythe feed roller, another scraper is provided (see Fig. i). adjustmentmeans being provided. for adj listing the clearance between the scraperand the leed roller. By the adjustment of? this clearance the amount ofcream picked up can be regulated as desired. It is also IIOCPFSHI'Y toprevent the cream collecting at the ends of the feed roller and for thispurpose we provide two small angle end scrapers 38 which scrape oft anycream collected and return it to the trough (see Fig.

If desired, knives or scrapers may be provided to scrape the cream whichescapes over the ends of the cooled rollers and return the cream ontothe workingsurface of the rollers. A diagrammatic form of curved scraperis designated by 19 in Figs. 3 and 4. This may suitably be attached tothe frame of the machine.

If desired, the series of rotating rollers can be used to make anextension for the existing form of corrugated cooler or coolers of thattype. The hot liquid could easily be cooled with water to certaintemperatures, on existing coolers, and then cooled to much lowertemperatures, by attaching this invention to the end of the existingcooler.

What We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Cream coolingapparatus comprising a series of internally cooled rotatable rollersadapted to positlvely transfer the cream from one roller to the neXt inthe series by cooling means for said rollers causing the circulation ofa cooling medium successively from one roller to the other, the coolingmedium entering the last roller and leaving the first roller in theseries, so that the cream is gradually cooled as it passes over theseries of rollers.

2. Cream cooling apparatus comprising a series of internally cooledrotatable rollers revolving in the same direction in spacedrelationship, means for feeding cream to one end of the series ofrollers, an adjustable scraper disposed between each roller adapted topositively transfer the cream from one roller to the next roller in theseries and a final scraper adapted to transfer the cream from the lastcooling roller in the series to a collecting receptacle, the coolingmeans for said rollers causin'g the circulation of a cooling mediumsuccessively from one roller to the other, the cooling medium enteringthe last roller and leaving the first roller in the series, so that thecream is gradually cooled as it passes over the series of rollers 3.Cream cooling apparatus comprising a series of internally cooledrotatable rollers adapted to receive a supply of cream to be cooled andto positively transfer the cream along the series from one roller to thenext, the said rollers being arranged vertically one above the other,the cooling means for said rollers causing the circulation of a coolingmedium successively from one roller to the other, the cooling mediumentering the lastv roller and leaving the first roller 1n the series, sothat the cream is gradually cooled as it passes over the series ofrollers.

4. Cream cooling apparatus comprising a series of rotatable rollers, areceptacle for receiving the Warm cream to be cooled located adjacentthe first roller in the series, a receptacle for receiving the cooledcream lo cated adjacent the last roller in the series, means forintroducing a cooling medium into said last roller, circulating itthrough the several rollers and discharging it from the first roller inthe series, and a separate rotatable feed roller adapted to pick up theWarm cream in the first receptacle and feed it on to the first coolingroller in the series.

5. In cream cooling apparatus of the character described, a series ofunits, each unit comprising a roller and two bearing blocks, means forcirculating a cooling medium successively through the several rollers,and a scraper unit interposed between adjacent pairs of the bearingblocks to transfer the cream from one roller to the next succeedingroller.

In testimonywhereof, We aflix our signatures.

PRYCE MATTHEWS. ANDRE BRACHER.

